I'm in the opposite camp. I've been watching more soccer the last year or two ... am starting to appreciate it, and have immensely enjoyed the start to the World Cup. I'm starting to pick up on the intricacies of the game, the formations, the ball movement, the responsibilities of the different positions on the field, and find it really fascinating. I think as American sports fans, used to more violence, flash, and scoring ... it wasn't until I started to really pay attention to that stuff that I could get past the "it's boring, every game is 1-0" mindset.

I find the World Cup fascinating because of the different characteristics of the different countries teams. To some extent, the soccer teams of these countries are a reflection of the countries themselves. The stoic, head down, toughness and determination of the Germans. The flair and arrogance of the Argentinians. The athleticism and confidence of the Americans. And so on. It's very interesting to me to see these clashes of culture and style go head to head in a sport where the margin for error is so slim and the smallest mistakes can be so penal.

"It's like dating a woman who hates you so much she will never break up with you, even if you burn down the house every single autumn." ~ Chuck Klosterman on Browns fans relationship with the Browns

The issue is simple really, though it took me a few thousand posts to realize it: if you don't like the sport don't watch it and don't comment on it. And if you do comment on it, get in, say what you have to say, and get out. Otherwise it's basically a form of trolling.

That's basically what the soccer fans are saying and I get it.

I also get the soccer hate. I was one of the haters until my kids started playing it a few years ago. I still went reluctantly and herded cats as an assistant coach. Games sucked. Made no sense not to use arms and hands if you were born with them. Still hated it.

But over the years and as my kids progressed I've become a fan of the sport. I still don't understand the nuances and the various formations some teams play but I've come to appreciate the game. And despite comments otherwise, it does have similarities to hockey and basketball. There are inbound plays, there is forechecking. They may be called different things depending on the situation but they are there. You can also see guys crash the net on a shot like you do in hoops and hockey.

I don't begrudge anyone for being bored. It's a very technical and plodding game at the very highest level. It's basically 90 minutes of running and passing looking for three or four scoring opportunities per side. But I do understand the draw of the game and have developed an appreciation for the athleticism and the physical toughness these guys have to have to run continuously for 90 minutes.

Yeah, you get the prima donnas who get tackled and lay there like they lost a limb. That's another similarity to basketball.

I'm not going to convince anyone the game is something other than how they perceive it. Like I said, I was there and shared the same sentiments. What I'm saying is I've come to (gulp) enjoy the game.

peeker643 wrote:The issue is simple really, though it took me a few thousand posts to realize it: if you don't like the sport don't watch it and don't comment on it. And if you do comment on it, get in, say what you have to say, and get out. Otherwise it's basically a form of trolling.

You calling me a troll???

Consider it my status update. I try every 4 years to watch it and I still hate it. I watched US v. England, so at least give me credit for trying. I don't begrudge people that like it, I just gave my opinion after my latest attempt. I thought Florio had a good comment on it and posted it. If the US advances I might even give it another shot, but only if they get rid of those damn horns. The troll will butt out now

Last edited by Ziner on Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

peeker643 wrote:And despite comments otherwise, it does have similarities to hockey and basketball. There are inbound plays, there is forechecking. They may be called different things depending on the situation but they are there. You can also see guys crash the net on a shot like you do in hoops and hockey.

So you say this.

I don't begrudge anyone for being bored. It's a very technical and plodding game at the very highest level. It's basically 90 minutes of running and passing looking for three or four scoring opportunities per side.

Which is the complete opposite of the essence of hockey. Fast-paced, hard hitting and a very changing on the fly game. There may be schemes, but every sport has schemes, so that's a real cop out answer. So there's forechecking. Basically a way of playing defense. Similar to how the infield plays a given hitter. Or a defensive 2-2-1 press. Or playing the nickel against 3 or 4 wide. So soccer is similar to all sports in the sense that it's a sport.

Not a compelling argument at all, Peeks.

I'm not going to get into a pissing match over it, though. Hockey is fast, active, and full of hitting and scoring. I find C-SPAN's Book TV more entertaining than soccer.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

indiansfan21 wrote:I have seen some stupid remarks made about soccer in my 20+ years of being a fan ( along with being a fan of football, baseball, hockey, and many other sports), but that Florio article along with some of the responses I have seen about the sport here and on Florio's site are being beyond rediculous.

I get it if you don't want to like soccer. I mean I don't get the "it's a third world sport that everyone can enjoy because it costs nothing" argument as much as I don't get the "you don't understand it...it's a beautiful game" argument from the other side.

It just seems like a lot of comments by American's, me being one as well, come across as we didn't make it, we have our own sports, so we need to ridicule soccer and those who do actually like the sport , especially during the worlds biggest stages for the sport. It's like people are being threatened by its existence.

How about this, if you don't like the sport, or know nothing about it ignore it the best you can, don't watch the games, and enjoy what you do like to watch. Don't go making ignorant comments to those of us who do. I know its a message board, but I sure as hell though this page was for soccer. Just don't come in here then. There is no need to comment.

Where did anyone on this board make any comments about it being a third world sport that doesnt cost anything? No one feels threatened by Soccer, especially the NFL, I think that is part of the point Florio was trying to make when he brought up the NFLPA. Why are people so sensitive about defending soccer? If someone came in to the NFL or NBA forums I would just laugh at them. Hell I hate baseball right now (for different reasons) and no one has felt as if I am ridiculing them when I say I don't like it.

And to your last comment it is damn near impossible to ignore the World Cup if you are a sports fan. I woke up the last two days and it was all that was on, especially on Saturday. I almost watched the entire match to see if I could get in to it after another four year break. Once again, it was just plain boring. Yeah, yeah, yeah... maybe you could just explain how I don't get it like I always hear from Soccer fans.

It's interesting. Nowhere did I mention the NFL (other than to say I was a fan of football in general) yet it was brought up the "American Football Fan" in the most arrogant way you could possibly do it in this conversation. It's the whole "we're not threatened by anyone, it's our sport and it's the most popular sport here in the USA so it has to be the best" way of thinking that comes across from American football fan. Tell me if I'm wrong, but that's the way it came across from Florio and now you and I didn't care what type of sports fan said it.

My comment was in general to those who just continue to trash a sport for no reason. You say it's boring and you say I am supposed to give you "credit" for trying to watch one game. Credit for what? What is the reason you feel the need to trash a sport that billions across the world love, and millions in the United States love as well? Does it make you feel good about what you love to watch? You say it is boring, I think sewing is boring, but my wife does it and I don't go out of my way to tell her it would bore the life out of me. I just let her do her thing.

Again, are you and others so threatened by soccer's existence that you feel the need to respond like Florio and some of the people who read his site did? To me its responses like this, especially from those in the national media, that screams of the easy way out. It doesn't take any thought to rehash an old and worn down thought about a sport that has been talked about like this for years. You've heard it all before, yet you feel like it needs to be said again and again. Yet Florio and others always go back to it with no thought, not even trying to really add a new dimension to the "argument". What is the reason for this reaction? You don't like it, we get it...now move on.

has featured scintillating outcomes like 1-1, 0-0, 1-0, 1-1, 1-0, and 1-0.

Those scores look like Binary code.

Hockey has hits, soccer not so much. They have guys that get hit and they go down like LeBron.

I like the World Cup, it's something different every 4 years, but soccer just ain't my thing for more than that one month every 4 years. Apparently we have a good and very popular MLS team right here in CLB....

I have season tickets to that good and very popular MLS team here in Columbus (The Crew)....if you would like to come to a game to see what its all about just PM me and you can have my tickets for a game.

I think what you see at one of the games will not be what you think about soccer right now, and that's in the MLS, where the level is not nearly as high as Europe. It's more a physical league. But I could be wrong about what you think about soccer. I'm just going off of the comment above.

Thanks for the ticket offer, but it's just not my cup of tea. I never said the game doesn't take skill, it's the nature of some of the players to dive and the slow pace and lack of scoring chances. I watch the World Cup because it's a once every four years and it's a source of national pride.

We've been hearing for the last 30+ years that "soccer is going to explode in America", well it ain't, it's gonna be a niche sport for the serious fan. The World Cup will drum up interest for a few months before and after.

And FTR hockey is barely like soccer. Hockey is mayhem in a enclosed space with bone crushing hits and sniper goals (which soccer has), hockey players get their teeth knocked out and continue to play, soccer players fake injury all the time. Serious faking, like they go their ACL torn off by a bear faking, I eman they bring a stretcher out fior god's sake, 2 minutes later the same guy is back on the pitch. Hockey players don't spend 2/3 of the damn game passing the puck back and forth around center ice. They just ain't similar.

People love soccer and that's fine, but quit trying to compare it to other sports, especially a sport like hockey.

peeker643 wrote:And despite comments otherwise, it does have similarities to hockey and basketball. There are inbound plays, there is forechecking. They may be called different things depending on the situation but they are there. You can also see guys crash the net on a shot like you do in hoops and hockey.

So you say this.

I don't begrudge anyone for being bored. It's a very technical and plodding game at the very highest level. It's basically 90 minutes of running and passing looking for three or four scoring opportunities per side.

Which is the complete opposite of the essence of hockey. Fast-paced, hard hitting and a very changing on the fly game. There may be schemes, but every sport has schemes, so that's a real cop out answer. So there's forechecking. Basically a way of playing defense. Similar to how the infield plays a given hitter. Or a defensive 2-2-1 press. Or playing the nickel against 3 or 4 wide. So soccer is similar to all sports in the sense that it's a sport.

Not a compelling argument at all, Peeks.

I'm not going to get into a pissing match over it, though. Hockey is fast, active, and full of hitting and scoring. I find C-SPAN's Book TV more entertaining than soccer.

Adam, wI apologize. I didn't realize this was an argument. I said I understand why people watch it and that Ive come to enjoy it. I also said it has elements of both basketball and hockey. Honestly dude, don't tell me argument isn't compelling when it's not one and please don't tell tell me how the pace and hitting are different.

I'm not pimping for soccer. I said because I've been exposed to it I understand the allure of the game. If you don't you don't. I really don't care about the WC tv ratings. You don't like to hear it because you take it as a slap, but when you have kids you might see it differently. Shared experiences and all. Especially when they don't play ball and have no interest in that, hockey or boxing despite women doing all of that.

So I'm gonna sit out of this one because I'm not a big enough fan to be here and not a big enough tool to come back when I don't care enough in the first place.

Last edited by peeker643 on Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:32 am, edited 2 times in total.

Gotsta love the internets... All comments should be welcome. If someone is shitting on your sport, don't take it personally. If you feel that someone is hooking you, don't bite. I remember reading an MMA thread and I respectfully chimed in that I really had issues with that sport. Nobody in there jumped my shit, but I also didn't belabor the point. It's one guy's angle- let it be.

I played varsity HS soccer and really enjoy the game. It's spins and inches and a hell of a lot of digging deep for effort and mental sharpness when you are flat spent. WC isn't the best soccer b/c the teams don't play enough together. Best soccer is EPL- this is simply biggest tournament and play improves as teams gel.

US fans of the sport need not concern themselves with converting peeps. Let people take it or leave it.

Finally watched US/England on DVR- US played well and the result was deserved, but England seemed to have better chances, more often. Our defense is living dangerously. Need two wins to be safe now.

CTD, Germans are sick, like clockwork on the pitch. Their fans are unreal. I was in France for Germany's 4-0 whooping of the US back in '98. We were watching on the street jumbotron set up- crowd was 4k Germans, 1k American. They started chanting, I couldn't hear myself think. Teeth rattled. Then they were up 4-0, they were drunk, it got ugly, we got the hell out of there. Good times!

Cease wrote:CTD, Germans are sick, like clockwork on the pitch. Their fans are unreal. I was in France for Germany's 4-0 whooping of the US back in '98. We were watching on the street jumbotron set up- crowd was 4k Germans, 1k American. They started chanting, I couldn't hear myself think. Teeth rattled. Then they were up 4-0, they were drunk, it got ugly, we got the hell out of there. Good times!

I'm rooting for Germany, it's my heritage and I think it would mean more to them. Klose is the shit. All those injuries and they still look good.

peeker643 wrote:

Cerebral_DownTime wrote:Peek, ur doin it wrong.

Yeah- try and type anything substantive and involving quote boxes with the iPhone. You're effed in the ear.

Hopefully I fixed it.

Hahahahah! "iPhone". Those things suck. I can't believe you got suckered into buying that overpriced paperweight.

And yes I hate horns, horns that make my surround sound speakers vibrate like a lesbian prono.

Why not give them all electric guitars and they can all play different songs at the same time while totaly out of tune?

has featured scintillating outcomes like 1-1, 0-0, 1-0, 1-1, 1-0, and 1-0.

Those scores look like Binary code.

Hockey has hits, soccer not so much. They have guys that get hit and they go down like LeBron.

I like the World Cup, it's something different every 4 years, but soccer just ain't my thing for more than that one month every 4 years. Apparently we have a good and very popular MLS team right here in CLB....

I have season tickets to that good and very popular MLS team here in Columbus (The Crew)....if you would like to come to a game to see what its all about just PM me and you can have my tickets for a game.

I think what you see at one of the games will not be what you think about soccer right now, and that's in the MLS, where the level is not nearly as high as Europe. It's more a physical league. But I could be wrong about what you think about soccer. I'm just going off of the comment above.

Thanks for the ticket offer, but it's just not my cup of tea. I never said the game doesn't take skill, it's the nature of some of the players to dive and the slow pace and lack of scoring chances. I watch the World Cup because it's a once every four years and it's a source of national pride.

We've been hearing for the last 30+ years that "soccer is going to explode in America", well it ain't, it's gonna be a niche sport for the serious fan. The World Cup will drum up interest for a few months before and after.

And FTR hockey is barely like soccer. Hockey is mayhem in a enclosed space with bone crushing hits and sniper goals (which soccer has), hockey players get their teeth knocked out and continue to play, soccer players fake injury all the time. Serious faking, like they go their ACL torn off by a bear faking, I eman they bring a stretcher out fior god's sake, 2 minutes later the same guy is back on the pitch. Hockey players don't spend 2/3 of the damn game passing the puck back and forth around center ice. They just ain't similar.

People love soccer and that's fine, but quit trying to compare it to other sports, especially a sport like hockey.

That's it from me, back to the World Cup discussion.

How 'bout them Germans? Best team ever, it's a fact.

Offer stands any time during the MLS season if you change your mind. I understand where you are coming from and at least you are respectful about it.

Just to be clear, I wasn't the one comparing hockey to soccer. I see the differences in speed and such, and a lot of that has to do with playing surface size. I do think that tactically there are similarities, and I think you overplay some of the faking and such, but such is life of. It's too bad that has become a stereotype of the sport.

Cease wrote:Gotsta love the internets... All comments should be welcome. If someone is shitting on your sport, don't take it personally. If you feel that someone is hooking you, don't bite. I remember reading an MMA thread and I respectfully chimed in that I really had issues with that sport. Nobody in there jumped my shit, but I also didn't belabor the point. It's one guy's angle- let it be.

I played varsity HS soccer and really enjoy the game. It's spins and inches and a hell of a lot of digging deep for effort and mental sharpness when you are flat spent. WC isn't the best soccer b/c the teams don't play enough together. Best soccer is EPL- this is simply biggest tournament and play improves as teams gel.

US fans of the sport need not concern themselves with converting peeps. Let people take it or leave it.

Finally watched US/England on DVR- US played well and the result was deserved, but England seemed to have better chances, more often. Our defense is living dangerously. Need two wins to be safe now.

To be fair I'm not trying to convert anyone. I love the game and that's all I care about. It may or may not always be a niche sport, but I don't care about that either way. I spent way too much time in my younger years in a football town at a football high school caring about trying to get people to love it, that I just realized it is what it is.

I seriously am just trying to understand where all the anger and sometimes ridiculous comments are coming from from those who make them? Why even bother going on and on about something you don't care for?

Now, on the game and the US specifically. Watching the warm up games going up the World Cup you could tell the defense was going to be a problem. Nothing has changed. No one is closing down on open men and they are allowing way too many open passes into space, going all the way back the mid field.

It didn't hurt them on Saturday, but England had way too many chance. England was unlucky at best.

Cease wrote:US fans of the sport need not concern themselves with converting peeps. Let people take it or leave it.

I agree with that. The issue being in a WC thread there are people making multiple appearances to knock the sport or the event.

That's borderline trolling IMO.

So soccer is only allowed to be discussed in the soccer forum if it's people supporting soccer?

I'm not putting soccer down in the slightest. Personally, can't stand it. I respect it as a sport that takes a ton of endurance, coordination, and a very specific skill set to play. I also recognize it as the most popular sport in the world.

Didn't mean to imply that your post was an argument by any means. Didn't mean for you to mistake the tone of my post either. But, that's what happens with text.

Hey, the event's great. Nothing screams country pride other than supporting your team in an international competition and especially the people who pay a shit-ton of money to go support that team halfway around the world.

Glad your kids play it. I see the posts all the time on FB. Every able kid should play a sport. It teaches so many valuable lessons and helps them make friends. Your kids chose soccer. I hope mine choose hockey and baseball. I hope the Madison Mystics win every title for the next 5-6 years until they all play HS soccer.

Not my kind of sport, so I'll gladly bow out from the forum.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

Tough break for the Aussies having Cahill red-carded during the match against Germany. Even the German announcers thought it was excessive. They were calling the ref a kartenzucker (someone who pulls out a lot of cards).

So soccer is only allowed to be discussed in the soccer forum if it's people supporting soccer?

No sir. Not at all. But it seems to me the way this thread is being used is almsost like a game thread. And it'd be akin to someone popping in a few times to poke either baseball or Tribe fans. In a "WTF is up with Soccer" thread? Fair game. But it seems that the folks that started this were interested in the event, not debating the merits of the game, etc. YMMV

Every able kid should play a sport. It teaches so many valuable lessons and helps them make friends. Your kids chose soccer. I hope mine choose hockey and baseball.

I agree. And regardless of what your kids choose you'll support it and enjoy it. And I'm saying if it is soccer you'll come to have more of an appreciation for the game/sport itself. You'll be around it too much not to want to learn it to that extent.

Ok I am back for a serious question, I was thinking, can someone tell me why off sides exists in Soccer. Why can't they or don't they get rid of it? Don't want too much scoring? Seems like such a dumb rule, isn't it like beating a Corner on a fly pattern or cherry picking in basketball?

Ziner wrote:Ok I am back for a serious question, I was thinking, can someone tell me why off sides exists in Soccer. Why can't they or don't they get rid of it? Don't want too much scoring? Seems like such a dumb rule, isn't it like beating a Corner on a fly pattern or cherry picking in basketball?

Trying to be constructive not destructive Peeks

Uhhhh. If there was no offsides players could just stand down by the other teams goal.

Ziner wrote:Ok I am back for a serious question, I was thinking, can someone tell me why off sides exists in Soccer. Why can't they or don't they get rid of it? Don't want too much scoring? Seems like such a dumb rule, isn't it like beating a Corner on a fly pattern or cherry picking in basketball?

Trying to be constructive not destructive Peeks

Who cares....soccer is for pussies!

Seriously, CDT has it right. They don't want to take away from the build up of having scoring opportunities by having players cherry pick to get goals. I mean, how would it be it instead of stringing together passes to move the ball forward to instead just kick the ball really hard to the guy waiting by the goal to kick it in. It also ruins the art of the offsides trap, but that is a person feeling as a defender and not as someone who watches the sport.

There are 11 guys on the field, a very large field at that, including the goalie. If you say that one guy has to stay back and stay forward on each team, on to cherry pick and one to try to be in a position to defend the cherry pick, plus the goalies for each team, then you have the center of this great big field with only 8 players on each side to get from point at to point B. It would just be a game of kickball. Part of the allure of the sport to those of us who love it is the build up and action that happens from one of to the other, without trying to kick it over the top all the time to find a man there to cherry pick a goal in.

It results in lower scores, but it adds something else to the game that can't be measured.

Cease wrote:Gotsta love the internets... All comments should be welcome. If someone is shitting on your sport, don't take it personally. If you feel that someone is hooking you, don't bite. I remember reading an MMA thread and I respectfully chimed in that I really had issues with that sport. Nobody in there jumped my shit, but I also didn't belabor the point. It's one guy's angle- let it be.

Oops this part got taken off my other reply for some reason.

There's nothing wrong with debating whether you like soccer or not. There should be a thread about love/hate so we can spew our opinions, fail to change each other's minds, and get on.

But every time someone tries to talk soccer, the thread gets hijacked by the "haters".

I could wander into the golf forum and go into every thread and talk about how stinkin boring it is, how it's not athletic, how people spend all weekend watching the same tournament, blah blah blah. But I'd rather talk about shit that I'm interested in watching. And I don't feel the need to tell everyone I hate golf. Why? Because I realize the golf fans don't give a shit whether I like it or not. They just want to talk golf.

Good conversation. Sensitive area for some. My thoughts have been echoed throughout this thread.

My 5 y/o daughter got into soccer this past spring and has loved it, likes playing goalie or is it "keeper" to you hard core guys. I am giving this World Cup more than just the casual interest try this year and since I am in the beginning of a 3 week vacation I have some extra time. I came close to taking her in to see the US women at CBS a few weeks ago, but the forecast sucked.

Like CDT said, I root for the US and the countries of my heritage as a pride thing which for this Cup is only the Azurri as the Irish got Galarragaed and the Scots didn't show up. I have my Italy shirt on and am rearing to go soon.

I appreciate the game, the athleticism, getting the strategies. There is some gamesmenship with the injuries to put it lightly. The horns do have to go, it's like a swarm of insects ready to descend upon the stadium. I'll turn the sound down if I have to. Don't want to offend either side of the issue, but simply turn off the TV if the game bores you as I do when countries are playing in which I don't have an interest in.

Without wanting to get into a debate about Football (yes, I refuse to call it Soccer), can someone please get a message to all these talking heads on ESPN and such like who keep refering to Rob Green as "the British goalie".

He's not British, he's English and I would like to think I speak for both the Scottish and the Welsh in saying that we (me being Welsh) want nothing to do with him!!

For people who don't care for soccer this is a rough time - because of the media trying to jam it down their throats. Look, I don't care for Bridge either, but millions of Americans play it, and that's great. But it's not kicking off Sportcenter coverage or jamming up my magazines.

Again, I don't care for it, but understand that some do. Great. But the 2010, World Cup, despite what ESPN is trying to have us believe, is not the beginning of some soccer revolution in the United States. Just as the US Women winning the World Cup years back didn't begin another "liberation of American women" as promised. 20 years ago I remember hearing how youth soccer leagues were growing and "here comes soccer"....still waiting.

To those getting defensive about it, again, I respect your choice, and it's apparently a great sport because of it's holding worldwide, but excuse some of for being sick of the media telling us we should like it, and promoting falsehoods about the growth of the sport.

leadpipe wrote:For people who don't care for soccer this is a rough time - because of the media trying to jam it down their throats. Look, I don't care for Bridge either, but millions of Americans play it, and that's great. But it's not kicking off Sportcenter coverage or jamming up my magazines.

Again, I don't care for it, but understand that some do. Great. But the 2010, World Cup, despite what ESPN is trying to have us believe, is not the beginning of some soccer revolution in the United States. Just as the US Women winning the World Cup years back didn't begin another "liberation of American women" as promised. 20 years ago I remember hearing how youth soccer leagues were growing and "here comes soccer"....still waiting.

To those getting defensive about it, again, I respect your choice, and it's apparently a great sport because of it's holding worldwide, but excuse some of for being sick of the media telling us we should like it, and promoting falsehoods about the growth of the sport.

For whatever reason many Americans just do not care. And that's it.

What makes it worse I'm sure is the fact that genuinely all these sports reporters now trying to jam the game down Americans throats don't have a damn clue what they are talking about.

We get shows like Around the Horn and PTI over here and watching those guys trying to make a point whilst pretending they know what they are talking about is quite painful.

I like to think I know a bit about the game, I played at a highish level, and I can't help but cringe every time I see the Jay Mariotti's of the world try and opine on the game (that said, Jay Mariotti makes me cringe most of the times he speaks).

And for those who don't like Football, having that shoved down their throats by ESPN the other 11 months of the year, and every other month for the other 3 years, as the greatest sport that nothing can ever compare to???? I suppose because you love the NFL that is ok.

See that is where the argument is so hypocritical by NFL fan. I like the NFL and college football, but I am often turned off by it being shoved down my throat as the greatest thing since sliced bread that nothing can compare to. Excuse the rest of us if we're not arrogant enough to think that there is no other sport that compares to "our sport", especially around this great big world. I mean, how dare anyone question that, or God forbid we take 1 month off every 4 year from the NFL hype machine and how IT is going to take over the world.

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I encourage you to look it up. FACT: Soccer is growing amongst youth and in the U30 age group. In fact it is growing at an unbelievable pace. I don't care if you want to accept that, but those are the facts. I just saw an article that the youth soccer program in Seattle (or maybe it was the state of Washington) is something like the 5th largest organized youth group in the United States.

I know it's hard to believe and hard to accept but it's true. You may not want it shoved down your throat, but its true. The older you get, this silly little game that you despise having shoved down your throat, will continue to grow.

leadpipe wrote:For people who don't care for soccer this is a rough time - because of the media trying to jam it down their throats. Look, I don't care for Bridge either, but millions of Americans play it, and that's great. But it's not kicking off Sportcenter coverage or jamming up my magazines.

Again, I don't care for it, but understand that some do. Great. But the 2010, World Cup, despite what ESPN is trying to have us believe, is not the beginning of some soccer revolution in the United States. Just as the US Women winning the World Cup years back didn't begin another "liberation of American women" as promised. 20 years ago I remember hearing how youth soccer leagues were growing and "here comes soccer"....still waiting.

To those getting defensive about it, again, I respect your choice, and it's apparently a great sport because of it's holding worldwide, but excuse some of for being sick of the media telling us we should like it, and promoting falsehoods about the growth of the sport.

For whatever reason many Americans just do not care. And that's it.

What makes it worse I'm sure is the fact that genuinely all these sports reporters now trying to jam the game down Americans throats don't have a damn clue what they are talking about.

We get shows like Around the Horn and PTI over here and watching those guys trying to make a point whilst pretending they know what they are talking about is quite painful.

I like to think I know a bit about the game, I played at a highish level, and I can't help but cringe every time I see the Jay Mariotti's of the world try and opine on the game (that said, Jay Mariotti makes me cringe most of the times he speaks).

How extremely true.

Some of the talking heads on these sports networks that feel like they have to talk about soccer and the World Cup are seriously only making an ass of themselves with their lack of knowledge about the sport.

America needs more people with good knowledge of the game talking about it, especially for an event of this magnitude. There is so much misinformation that is being thrown out that there it is embarrassing. I will say, ESPN has done a pretty good job of hiring people as commentators and play by play guys to cover the games.

leadpipe wrote:For people who don't care for soccer this is a rough time - because of the media trying to jam it down their throats. Look, I don't care for Bridge either, but millions of Americans play it, and that's great. But it's not kicking off Sportcenter coverage or jamming up my magazines.

Again, I don't care for it, but understand that some do. Great. But the 2010, World Cup, despite what ESPN is trying to have us believe, is not the beginning of some soccer revolution in the United States. Just as the US Women winning the World Cup years back didn't begin another "liberation of American women" as promised. 20 years ago I remember hearing how youth soccer leagues were growing and "here comes soccer"....still waiting.

To those getting defensive about it, again, I respect your choice, and it's apparently a great sport because of it's holding worldwide, but excuse some of for being sick of the media telling us we should like it, and promoting falsehoods about the growth of the sport.

For whatever reason many Americans just do not care. And that's it.

I get that. But I think that about pretty much every sport. I don't watch NFL pre-game or highlight shows, none of the NBA Live stuff that would have you believe each charge taken is an act of war time heroism, etc.

Tom Brady has yet to cure cancer and Drew Brees has yet to rebuild New Orleans.

Same thing applies to local media. I don't give a shit about LeBron James for any time other than the 48 minutes the clock is running.

None of the coverage of any of this stuff is going to change the majority's mind. Christ, at least I hope it doesn't.

indiansfan21 wrote:And for those who don't like Football, having that shoved down their throats by ESPN the other 11 months of the year, and every other month for the other 3 years, as the greatest sport that nothing can ever compare to???? I suppose because you love the NFL that is ok.

See that is where the argument is so hypocritical by NFL fan. I like the NFL and college football, but I am often turned off by it being shoved down my throat as the greatest thing since sliced bread that nothing can compare to. Excuse the rest of us if we're not arrogant enough to think that there is no other sport that compares to "our sport", especially around this great big world. I mean, how dare anyone question that, or God forbid we take 1 month off every 4 year from the NFL hype machine and how IT is going to take over the world.

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I encourage you to look it up. FACT: Soccer is growing amongst youth and in the U30 age group. In fact it is growing at an unbelievable pace. I don't care if you want to accept that, but those are the facts. I just saw an article that the youth soccer program in Seattle (or maybe it was the state of Washington) is something like the 5th largest organized youth group in the United States.

I know it's hard to believe and hard to accept but it's true. You may not want it shoved down your throat, but its true. The older you get, this silly little game that you despise having shoved down your throat, will continue to grow.

The NFL is not being shoved down American throats. They eat it voluntarily. The ratings for the NFL DRAFT are real - not forced.

You are VERY defensive here by the way. For someone who wants people to be OK with you liking soccer, you sure are taking shots at NFL fan. The reality is the bottom line, that is, football is king - no matter what the reason, no matter if you agree with it or not. That's the fact.

Look, I'm a baseball fan, but I understand clearly if people think it's boring. Real similiar to your views on those who don't like soccer - that they really don't understand the game. But I really don't give a shit if someone doesn't like baseball and I do. There are other things I like that millions of Americans wouldn't waste their time on. Who cares? I don't.

As far as the "growth" goes. Yeah, I'm sure there are numbers out there to prove it's growing, but the fact of the matter is is there is still a HUGE gap between youth level and beyond. Until elite athletes in this country start choosing soccer over other sports this will continue to be the case. And it isn't close to happening yet.

I can relate two points regarding this from the Northeast Ohio area. 1. In regard to young elite athletes. I am involved with a sport center in the area, and obviously, the elite athletes in the county - both male and female, make their way thru the place at some point. Soccer, baseball, hoops, volleyball. Those who were in "select" soccer programs as a youth, (Lead at the park by former Force great and John Carrol head coach Ali Kazemeini) and skilled in another sport or two, well, it is a RARE case that they play soccer collegiately. They will always gravitate around high school age to a more "popular" sport - and when forced to narrow it down to one for collegiate reasons, soccer loses out. That's not conjecture. That's fact. Now, maybe a few more are choosing soccer than years past, and maybe there are a few more exclusive to soccer, but they are still losing a GREAT percentage of top tier players from youth to upper school age.

2. And I'm not passing this off as fact, but it again, my strong opinion from being around the youth sport culture for 20 years now, but youth soccer is benefitting from modern times and the broken family. 50% divorce rate, and virtually every family having both parents work leaves less time for a parent to work with his kid. The single mom that has zero idea about sports can put their kid out on the soccer field and not suffer nearly the embarrassment of a kid striking out 3 times a night, not being able to hit the rim with a shot, or dropping every pass. Soccer at a young age is much more forgiving for the "less" talented player - with little guidance from Dad.

Lastly, I'm ok with it growing. Don't understand your inference of me getting bent out of shape should it happen. Never called it a silly game, and of all the things in life that I would consider "hard to accept," soccer growth ain't one of em'. There's shit going on at Playhouse Square every night that I have no interest in, but it doesn't bother me that it's there, and I don't think the people that go are idiots. My two contributions to this thread were simple 1. The ties are hurting the appeal of the sports here ILO. and 2. The sports "explosion" is not right around the corner.

leadpipe wrote:For people who don't care for soccer this is a rough time - because of the media trying to jam it down their throats. Look, I don't care for Bridge either, but millions of Americans play it, and that's great. But it's not kicking off Sportcenter coverage or jamming up my magazines.

Again, I don't care for it, but understand that some do. Great. But the 2010, World Cup, despite what ESPN is trying to have us believe, is not the beginning of some soccer revolution in the United States. Just as the US Women winning the World Cup years back didn't begin another "liberation of American women" as promised. 20 years ago I remember hearing how youth soccer leagues were growing and "here comes soccer"....still waiting.

To those getting defensive about it, again, I respect your choice, and it's apparently a great sport because of it's holding worldwide, but excuse some of for being sick of the media telling us we should like it, and promoting falsehoods about the growth of the sport.

For whatever reason many Americans just do not care. And that's it.

What makes it worse I'm sure is the fact that genuinely all these sports reporters now trying to jam the game down Americans throats don't have a damn clue what they are talking about.

We get shows like Around the Horn and PTI over here and watching those guys trying to make a point whilst pretending they know what they are talking about is quite painful.

I like to think I know a bit about the game, I played at a highish level, and I can't help but cringe every time I see the Jay Mariotti's of the world try and opine on the game (that said, Jay Mariotti makes me cringe most of the times he speaks).

Marriota has his head so firmly between his buttocks.He speaks like he is the last authority on any topic to do with sports.If a topic on the tiddlywinks championship came up he'd talk as if he had an encyclopaedic knowledge.

I think out of all the guys on these 2 shows Wilbon and Reali are the only guys with a decent 8understanding and a genuine liking for the sport.

There's always disdain and ridicule in the voices of some when they have to talk about football.

"There is but one thing of real value: to cultivate truth and justice and to live without anger in the midst of lying and unjust men"

As for Sports Center attention and overkill, I'd think World Cup has made for a healthy distraction from LeBronamania and a welcome lead story alternative to Brett Favre's offseason. Plus, it'll all be over soon- so we can get back to Yankee's / Red Sox in time for their final 12 match ups.